While We Wait
by Argentus
Summary: Formerly 'The Wait'. Tom Riddle, as he and Ginny Weasley wait for her ‘hero’ to arrive.


**Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Tom Riddle and Ginny Weasley are all JKR's. But I'm sure you all know that **

**While We Wait**

**by Argentus**

Ginny, Ginny.

Until now I still wonder…

Why you, Ginevra Weasley? Why was I so fortunate as to fall into _your _hands?

I entered your naive mind rather like a snake, with slither and a hiss. Spreading my glorious, deep-running poison into your veins, into your consciousness, saturating every fiber of your soul… I _was _the snake, I _turned _into the very animal chosen by my great predecessor. And I uncoiled inside you, my weeping little spitfire, and I struck with fangs bared and you weren't even aware of it until it was too late. You housed me, you were my _vessel_. Oh, the simplicity of it all, it was almost _too easy. _You. Were. Mine. Mine to manipulate, an unsuspecting puppet purging this horrid castle of it's scum. Squibs and Muggle-borns indeed! That wizened old crackpot knew no better as you snatched them up one by one, two by two, under his crooked old nose

Ginny, sweet Ginevra…you whimper against her cold scales. Do you fear her so much, my dear? You fear the monster that has been mine— no, yours—no, _ours— _for the past few months? Come, raise your trembling white hand, run it over the scales of this dazzling creature, this noble beast in whose lethal body runs the essence of the Great One himself.

How the Great Slytherin looks so calmly over as, at you, his meek cowardly guest of honor. In his presence, your pathetic existence nearly _disgusts_ me… But I must calm myself, he claimed us both, he chose _you _for a reason. And so...so we are _his_, even in the shadows of death.

Death. Your _reward_ is fast approaching, my dear. Now, now…stop that. It's just me, it's just Tom…_your _Tom, didn't you call me that so many times? You sob and cringe at my hand softly stroking your face. Why, but I'm being ever so gentle! I wouldn't want you to… _shatter _before I truly intend you to.

What's that you say? _Harry, Harry… _how so very predictable… Those bright brown orbs peer weakly at me, willing me to be the one whom she has foolishly pledged her heart for so long. Devour me with your eyes my dear, for I am the closest to Harry Potter that you will ever possess before your most unfortunate demise. Look at _me_, Ginny. My glossy hair, dark as a raven's feathers. My eyes so lovely and cool and deep, and so startlingly green. Don't you see? Don't you see _him_?

…You are crying out as if in pain but I have not hurt you…at least, not yet. Little Ginevra, little Ginny, pain will come at the glorious climax of your beloved's death… Poor thing, don't you worry, he _will_ be here. He will see it all. I will make sure he is in your arms as you both perish, two disgustingly untainted creatures embracing in the Chamber of Death. But now, for now…touch _my_ face, sink into the eyes you adore, drown in the unhappy masquerade that you've been reveling in for so long. You wince and trace my forehead, vainly searching for the outline of a scar, desperately your shaking head when you find none. _Not him, not Harry…_

I grasp your fingers witheringly, seized with the sudden urge to break them one by one. After all, I love pain, I am pain, I would shudder with pleasure to hear your shuddering sobs magnified a thousandfold. Ah…but never mind…you will suffer soon enough….yes, I can't wait, the pain in your heart when I strike him the killing blow…you won't let me down. I _need_ you…I need the last drops of your life, I _crave_ the lingering traces of your pain. And it _will_ be mine when I dispose of him, it will seep into me…it will flow like a river…the loss of _him_. I _know _you…you won'tlet me down.

Now then, girl, let's keep busy while we wait. Let's see. You wished for a kiss so many times in your stupid, saccharine little fantasies. I bestow it upon you now, the brilliant pulsing poison of my lips. Your pulse quickens…curious really…though we are two separate beings now, your thoughts still slither so naturally into mine…

_I…wish you were Harry… Harry._

You give another whinge…I have twisted your arm despite my intention not to hurt you too severely at the moment. I drop it limply on the dry Chamber floor and lean over you, whispering another kiss on your frail little neck. Won't you accept my parting gift, Ginevra? I am not _Harry_, I am someone much much greater

you should be _flattered_…

Won't you ever stop whimpering? _Harry, Harry, Harry_…my little one, you never were very patient. Haven't I told you, your beloved is coming? Meanwhile, I am here, your Tom, Tom who you wish could be Harry, Tom who _looks so much like him. _

_Nothing_ _like him…Harry is good… noble…_

You are boring me immensely, stop contradicting yourself, Ginevra! Beg for another kiss, end your masquerade, it amuses me so to be taken for someone so relentlessly pure. Oh do not deny it, when you poured out your heart to me, you secretly pretended it were him. Well then take me, it is a great honor. Take me, it is your final masquerade and you are fortunate that you have _me_ to share it with.

_I thought you were my…I thought you were…_

Ohhh, you thought I was your friend? I am not your _friend_, Ginevra, I _am you. _Closer than your family, closer than your friends, closer than your _Harry _could ever get…

"Tom, don't!"

You've spoken out loud…what…

"Tom, Harry…take me…in…his…place…"

_What!_

I have hissed so loudly with laughter that even my noble beast twitched in surprise from the echoes on the chamber walls. Honestly…you've managed to fool yourself for so long, you can no longer tell the difference between fantasy and reality. You think I will let your death reek of that stinking nobility I so detest? You think I will take your life, your worthless speck of a life, in exchange for letting that sickeningly extraordinary being who defeated me go? No, no, no, I will slay the lion while he is still a cub. And I will let you behold his mangled corpse before sucking the life completely out of you…you would like that, wouldn't you?

Oh, poor dear. Oh your horror and your tainted adoration….I _cherish _them

_Harry, I'm sorry! _

There's not much left in you, you know. So plead now, spit out whatever apologies you can.

_Harry…_Harry? Surely, not again? And not a word about the brothers you so despise? the parents whose protection you chafe under?

_You won't…you'd never hurt…them…_

You are mistaken. Perhaps…yes, perhaps your family will be my first target. You see, little girl, after I destroy you and Harry , after I leave your tender bodies here to rot, I _will _hurt them. I will rise up from this chamber and grow ever stronger… mere memory…a piece of a shattered soul perhaps…but oh…soon I will be whole again ….soon I will claim my rightful place, the Heir of Slytherin, the terror of Squibs and Mudbloods, the scourge of the wizarding world!

"Harry…_won't_…. let…. that…. happen"

Speaking aloud again, I see. Where _are _you getting those sudden little bursts of strength… But it is no use. Harry Potter _will not stop me, _foolYou have given me too much information, don't you see? I know his weakness, I know his _conscience_, I know what will bring him down. It is hilariously ironic. The adoring witchling who cherishes him above all else, who _aches _at his inability to notice her, who is willing to lay down her worthless life in his stead…becomes the downfall of her good, great, courageous hero

He _will _come. He is coming.

And I will rise again and be more powerful than ever before…

* * *

_I…linger…the last traces…of a memory…floating dots of the fragment of a soul…settling in the Chamber._

_The fiery witchling cheats death and a Dark Lord's soul…the green-eyed lad murmurs clumsy words of comfort…what a laugh, what an insipid fairytale…they suit each other so perfectly._

_The final fragments of me tremble in distaste!_

_She sobs, he takes up his glittering sword, he gently leads her out, chivalrous hero to the end…_

_A bond now…it is inevitable. You have gotten your wish, little Ginevra? You are bound in ways you cannot possibly fathom, soon his vulnerable heart will seek comfort in you, my fragile, tainted vessel and you will give it to him, give him that power I cannot possess, fill him with that force I have rejected my whole miserable life._

Love

_His power will grow, Ginevra, and I detest you for it. Thanks to _you_, a more perilous battle awaits me._

_But Lord Voldemort has always loved a challenge._

**Whew! I meant that to be purely implied H/G, I swear I did _not _see the T/G coming. But it's there so I suppose I'll just leave it be to add a creepy touch.**

**Yes, I am an H/G fan. I only had Tom call their relationship stupid and insipid because, well, he's evil **


End file.
